Ms. Ann Frye to chair new Independent Panel of Experts to Help London's Gatwick Airport strategise services for disabled flyers

Dear Colleagues,

Its heartening to see this development at the London's Gatwick Airport where our good friend and an international specialist in Transportation Needs for People with Disabilities and Older Adults, Ms. Ann Frye, will Chair an independent panel of experts.  This new independent panel – made up of experts in the travel needs of disabled passengers and people with reduced mobility – will help to shape Gatwick’s accessibility strategy and improve services for disabled passengers, as announced by the airport on 19th Sep 2019.

The Independent Gatwick Accessibility Panel (IGAP) will take a broad view of accessibility provision and services at the airport, including setting new service standards and reviewing the airport’s performance against them and will complement the work and ongoing achievements of Gatwick’s Accessibility Forum and Passenger Advisory PRM Group.

The panel is expected to have its first meeting on 19 December 2019 and will build upon the ongoing work and achievements of two existing groups; the Passenger Advisory PRM Group – which represents passengers – and the Accessibility Community Forum, which is where airport stakeholders meet with local charities and support groups.

Ann Frye – an international specialist in the transport needs of disabled and older people will chair the group.  Ann currently co-chairs the US Transportation Research Board sub-committee on International Activities in Accessible Transportation and Mobility.  She is also working with the United Nations and the International Transport Forum on the mobility implications of a global ageing population.

Other members of the panel have been primarily drawn from the disability community – including those with hidden disabilities – and have been selected based on their expertise and experience both in disability and air travel. The biographies of other panel members can be found on Gatwick’s website here.

The panel will then meet at least twice every year and the minutes from each meeting will be published on Gatwick’s website.  The panel will also be consulted on other relevant issues on an ad hoc basis.

Aviation Minister Paul Maynard said: “Transport is vital for connecting people with work, friends and family, and should enable those from every part of society to access and enjoy exploring the rest of the world.

“Gatwick’s continued work on accessibility is helping to open up new opportunities and experiences, ensuring the aviation network is truly open to all.”

Chris Woodroofe, Chief Operating Officer, Gatwick Airport, said: “This new independent panel of experts will help us set new standards and identify innovative opportunities where we can improve the service we offer to passengers with reduced mobility or other disabilities.

“The panel will also complement and build on the ongoing achievements of our Accessibility Forum and Passenger Advisory Groups.  By consulting and engaging with such a broad range of experts, we want to make sure our accessibility services are the best they can be.”

Ann Frye, Chair of the Independent Gatwick Accessibility Panel, said: “I am delighted to have been invited to chair the new Independent Gatwick Accessibility Panel. I have worked for many years to promote accessibility for disabled and older people in aviation and other forms of transport and I look forward to working with Gatwick and their key stakeholders in achieving their goal to be the UK’s most accessible airport.”

Gatwick was the first airport to introduce a hidden disability lanyard scheme – something that all UK airports have introduced since.  Gatwick was also the first UK airport to open a sensory room, invested £2 million in a new ‘premium-style’ lounge for passengers with reduced mobility and is expanding its existing range of Changing Places facilities, which include hoists and height-adjustable changing beds and sinks.

The airport also places a particular emphasis on training and all passenger-facing staff are taught to recognize a range of hidden disabilities. To ensure consistent standards across the airport, Gatwick also offers this training free to airlines, ground handlers and organisations.

For example, 2,200 staff have been trained to recognize and help people with dementia across 14 different businesses. Staff working for Gatwick’s special assistance provider – Wilson James – are also the only ones in the UK trained to NVQ Level 2 & 3.

About Gatwick Airport
Gatwick is the UK’s second largest airport. It serves more than 230 destinations in 74 countries for 46 million passengers a year on short and long-haul point-to-point services. Gatwick is also a major economic driver and generates around 85,000 jobs nationally, with 24,000 of these located on the airport.

Since May 2019, a new long-term partnership was formed with VINCI Airports who purchased a 50.01% stake in the airport. This partnership sees Gatwick Airport integrate into the network of VINCI Airports, the leading private airport operator in the world, which manages the development and operation of 46 airports across the globe. Served by around 250 airlines, VINCI Airports’ network handled 240 million passengers in 2018 – including traffic at London Gatwick. VINCI Airports develops, finances, builds and operates airports, leveraging its investment capability, international network and know-how to optimise performance of existing airport infrastructure, facility extensions and new-build construction projects.

Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), which manages the remaining 49.99% interest in Gatwick, is an independent infrastructure investor that makes equity investments in high quality infrastructure assets in the energy, transport and water/waste sectors. GIP has US$56 billion of Assets under Management. Its 18 portfolio companies operate in over 50 countries with circa 54,000 employees and generate annual revenues of circa US$50 billion.

Source: Travel PR News.com

‘She doesn’t look disabled’: Woman in wheelchair asked to stand up at Delhi Airport- Incidence with Virali Modi

New Delhi |  10 September 2019 | Avantika Chopra | Indian Express

Disability rights activist Virali Modi was left feeling distressed when a CISF personnel at the Delhi airport repeatedly asked her to get up from her wheelchair for security check on Monday. Modi, who suffered a spinal injury in 2006 following which she began using wheelchair, was travelling to Mumbai when the incident occurred. Acknowledging the episode, CISF has ordered an inquiry into the matter. 

 Sharing her ordeal on social media, Modi tweeted, “‘You have to stand-up for a security checking. Stop doing drama,’ the CISF at Delhi airport said to me.” Along with the post are screenshots of notes she has written explaining what happened at the airport. The 28-year-old had submitted her wheelchair at the check-in counter and had informed the airport authorities about her disability. After which, she was assigned a porter all the way to her seat. 

However, as Modi reached the security check, she was asked to stand up by the CISF staff. When she repeatedly told them about her disability, she was asked to wait as the security check personnel went to speak to her senior. “She went behind the curtain citing that she would call an official. She then started saying to another woman that I was doing ‘drama’ and being a ‘dramebaaz’,” Modi told the indianexpress.com. 

“YOU HAVE TO STAND UP FOR SECURITY CHECKING! STOP DOING DRAMA!,” - The CISF at Delhi airport said this to me. @jayantsinha @CISFHQrs @DelhiAirport @debolin_sen @BookLuster @guptasonali PLEASE RT - THIS TREATMENT TOWARDS THE DISABLED IS RIDICULOUS pic.twitter.com/WGYFULblUm

— Virali Modi (@Virali01) September 9, 2019

Miffed at their behaviour, Modi confronted the official. “When I made a scene, she told me she was talking about someone else and not me.” As the issue escalated, another woman took over and did the manual check-in and let Modi proceed, she claims. When asked, what may have triggered such a reaction from the CISF security staff, Modi said, “She told the other staff member that I did not look disabled.” 

The episode, which lasted for around 20-minutes, left the 28-year-old emotionally drained. Though she was contacted by a senior CISF official Delhi, Arun Singh, who “apologised” and “expressed his regret”, Modi thinks it is not enough. “That is not enough. I want a public written apology because a lot of people with disability have come out and shared their experiences with the CISF.” 

CISF spokesperson Hemendra Singh commented on the incident and told indianexpress.com, “Our personnel are properly trained to deal with specially-abled persons. CISF has already introduced measures not to cause any inconvenience to them.” When asked what is being done about the Delhi airport incident, he said that CISF has ordered an inquiry into it. 

This is, however, not the first time this has happened with Modi. Back in November 2018, she went through an unfortunate security check that left her hospitalised. “I was at Bombay airport and the woman at the security, to look underneath, pulled my leg so hard that I injured my knee for that and had to be hospitalised because of this.”

Toyota to improve Universal Design Taxi Cab for faster wheelchair access

Dear Colleagues,

Toyota Motor Corp. is seriously looking at the business potential of Accessible Taxis. After it launched its spacious "JPN Taxi" wagon on Oct. 23, 2017 targeting wheelchair users, sports-persons with disabilities and tourists to Japan from abroad in the run up to the Paralympic Games, it is thinking further to reduce the usual boarding time for passengers using wheelchairs.

Toyota aims to encourage taxi companies to provide a total of 10,000 of the vehicles, which is about one-third of all taxis in Tokyo, in time for 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. It is pertinent to observe that Toyota had not released an exclusive taxi model since 1995. 

A driver paces an easier-to-install wheelchair ramp on an
improved  model of "JPN Taxi" taxicab.
Photo credits-(Mainichi/Yoshinori Ogura)

Technical Features:- For easy access to seniors and children, the car has a spacious interior with a low floor; a high ceiling; a power sliding door and can accommodate a passenger in a wheelchair. The wheelchair user is ushered inside via a ramp placed on the car’s side, with the help of the driver. Safety has been improved through the use of the latest collision avoidance support system in this vehicle. The easy to install wheelchair ramp provided is operated by the driver.

New Improvements:- Now the Toyota Motor Corp. has announced that it will improve its “JPN Taxi” universal design taxicab to enable wheelchair users to get into the vehicle more quickly — cutting the current maximum of around 20 minutes down to three minutes.

The improvements, unveiled on Feb. 4, 2019 involve redesigning the car’s foldable wheelchair ramp and simplifying its installation process, while the taxi itself will be a new model with better functionality, according to the major car maker.

Updating already sold cars of the model :- More than 10,000 units of the model are in use by taxi companies across Japan. For the units already sold, Toyota will from February 2019 begin providing a new ramp redesigned from tri-fold to double-fold, with improved fixings. A new model to be introduced in March will have an automatic sliding door that opens and shuts about 1.5 seconds faster than the current model.

A Toyota-organized training session will enable the driver to install the ramp in around three to four minutes, according to the company. A person in charge of the car’s development commented, “We want to make a taxi that makes everyone smile.”

Users's Feedback:- Hitoshi Nakamura, 67, a wheelchair user living in Nagoya’s Naka Ward was happy about the new model. Nakaumura submitted about 10,000 signatures from people requesting the model’s improvement to Toyota in November last year. “I’m really thankful and can’t wait to ride in the new one,” he said.

Source: The Mainichi.
(Japanese original by Yoshinori Ogura, Nagoya News Center)

Husband with disability forced to pre-board flight alone, separated from wife battling cancer

Disabled man forced to pre-board Reagan Southwest flight alone, separated from wife battling

30 Dec 2018, 1100PM

ARLINGTON, Va. - A couple says their holiday trip to Virginia was ruined by a traumatic incident on their flight home. A disabled husband was forced to pre-board alone, while his sick wife had to stay behind at the gate.

Terry and Kathryn Podraza were hesitant to make the trip from Omaha to Fredericksburg at all.

Terry is disabled, and Kathy is fighting cancer with aggressive chemotherapy starting on Monday. So, their family booked a direct flight on Southwest hoping to make their trip as easy as possible. Unfortunately, the Podrazas say it was anything but.

Kathy and Terry Podraza hadn't seen their 6-month-old grand baby since she was born. So, the idea of spending Christmas with their daughter Kate and her sister in Virginia was worth the long haul, despite serious challenges with their health.

"I'm handicapped and my wife has stage-four colon and liver cancer," said Terry Podraza.

After the holiday rush wrapped up, the Podrazas were headed home on a direct flight on Southwest.

Terry Podraza was permitted to board early, due to his disability. Kathy expected to join him, but they say the ticket agent wouldn't allow it.

"He told us that me having pre-boarding and being handicapped, that it was against the law for her to board at the same time as me," said Terry Podraza.

Instead, Terry used his cane to board alone, while Kathy waited at the gate. And as the final passengers stepped on the plane, Kathy was still waiting.

Not only had the agent not allowed her to assist Terry, Kathy says he accidentally scanned and kept her ticket. So when she finally was able to board, she had no way to get on the plane.

"All he had to do is ask me my name and he would have seen that he had already scanned my boarding pass," said Kathy Podraza.

While battling a second bout of cancer and gearing up for intense chemotherapy, Kathy says the agent's actions brought her to tears.

But when she finally was allowed on, Kathy says she was thankful at least for a very kind flight attendant who offered a little something to calm her nerves -- a mimosa.

The "Frequently Asked Questions" page on Southwest Airlines website addressed pre-boarding protocol and states:

“We will allow one travel companion to act as an “attendant” and pre-board with a customer with a disability.”

When reached for a comment via phone or email,  Southwest responded:

"Because it’s important to southwest that this concern is given our full attention, this situation has been given to a specialist for further review. We assure you that any missed opportunities will be thoroughly addressed."

Terry Podraza reached out as well and received an automatic message saying it would take up to 30 days before he receives an answer. 

Source: fox5DC